The present invention relates to a child safety restraint apparatus. More specifically, an apparatus suitable for safely restraining a child in a sitting position in a child transport is disclosed. The apparatus may preferably be attached to a shopping cart to safely restrain a child seated therein.
Numerous systems have been developed to safely restrain children in variety of transports, including child seats, strollers and shopping carts. However, accidents continue to be a problem. Active children, if not properly supervised, are often able to defeat many of the current restraint systems. Such lack of supervision commonly occurs as parents are momentarily distracted or otherwise inattentive. Unfortunately, serious injuries are often sustained after the child escapes from the mechanical restraints.
This is particularly a problem during shopping trips. Parents often leave children temporarily unattended in a shopping cart while browsing through a store""s merchandise. During these moments, accidents and injuries are likely. The magnitude of this problem was highlighted in a report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Commission reported that an annual average of 21,600 children under the age of 5 were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for shopping cart injuries during the years 1985 to 1996 (see http:// www.cpsc/gov/library/shopcart.htmo). More than half of these were treated for falls from the carts (about 16,000 in 1996).
This danger is further compounded by additional risks. For example, a child in a cart is seated more than four feet above the ground, a relatively high position for a small child. Furthermore, the floors of many stores are made of hard tile or thin carpet over a cement base. To make matters worse, children are prone to falling head first as they attempt to escape from a shopping cart. Thus, an accident is likely to result in serious injury to the child. In fact, the Safety Commission reported that 66 percent of the fall victims were treated for head injuries (about 11,000 per year). Of these head injury cases, 54 percent of the victims suffered severe injuries such as concussions and fractures.
Such safety studies have led many pediatricians to demand better restraint systems. Some researchers have even suggested banning the transport of children in shopping carts, until safer designs are implemented. (See xe2x80x9cAdd Shopping Carts to the List of life""s Hazards,xe2x80x9d by Denise Mann, Medical Tribune News Service, Mar. 7, 1996).
However, despite these sobering statistics and continual warnings from medical authorities, many stores continue to employ a simple waist-belt type restraint on their shopping carts. Such simple restraint systems are all too easily defeated by a determined child, even in the presence of adult supervision. Consequently, needless accidents still occur due to the lack of adequate restraint devices.
Clearly, there exists a need for safer designs of child restraint systems that provide more adequate restraint.
This invention relates to a child safety restraint apparatus. The child restraint apparatus preferably is adapted to substantially restrain a child in a sitting position when connected to a child transport or seat. Suitable child transports and seats include, but are not limited to, vehicular seats, strollers, shopping carts, chairs, highchairs, and motion toys.
The apparatus preferably comprises a plurality of adjustable and interconnecting straps positioned to restrain a child in a sitting position. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises:
a first strap having a first and second end;
a second strap having a first and second end;
a first pivot capable of being secured to a child transport between the upper legs of a child seated therein;
wherein:
the first end of the first strap and the first end of the second strap are securely connected to the first pivot; and
the second end of the first strap and the second end of the second strap are each adjustably connected to a fastener;
a third strap having a first and second end;
a fourth strap having a first and second end;
a second pivot capable of being secured to a child transport behind a child seated therein;
wherein:
the first end of the third strap and the first end of the fourth strap are securely connected to the second pivot;
the second end of the third strap and the second end of the fourth strap are each adjustably connected to a fastener;
the adjustably connected fastener on the third strap is detachably connected with the adjustably connected fastener on the first strap, such that the third strap and the first strap pass over the shoulder region of a child restrained therein; and
the adjustably connected fastener on the fourth strap is detachably connected with the adjustably connected fastener on the second strap, such that the fourth strap and the second strap pass over the shoulder region of a child restrained therein;
a fifth strap having a first and second end;
a sixth strap having a first and second end;
wherein:
the first end of the fifth strap is fixably connected to the first strap and the first end of the sixth strap is fixably connected to the second strap;
the second end of the fifth strap and the second end of the sixth strap are each adjustably connected to a fastener;
the adjustably connected fastener on the fifth strap is detachably connected with the adjustably connected fastener on the sixth strap; and
the fifth strap and sixth strap, when connected to one another, are transversely positioned between the first strap and the second strap, across the back of an child restrained therein;
a seventh strap slidably connected to the first and second strap;
wherein the seventh strap is positioned transversely between the first and second straps across the chest region of an child restrained therein.